A COMMUNITY leader says he does not want to see Wrexham’s historic Wynnstay Hotel boarded up like something from a riot zone.

The listed building in High Street has been lying empty since its operators, Stephanie Booth’s Llangollen Hotels group, went into administration just over a month ago.

In that time it has been the target of a number of break-ins.

As a result, administrators KPMG who have responsibility for the hotel until its fate is decided, have introduced round-the-clock security.

They have also ordered the building to be boarded up to protect against further burglaries.

But Cllr Keith Gregory, whose Smithfield ward includes the Wynnstay, said: “I realise the building has to be secured but the way it is boarded up is very important.

“There are enough problems on High Street at the moment and we don’t want the area looking like something from a riot zone.

“The boarding up must be done sympathetically as this is one of Wrexham’s most important buildings.”

He added: “I understand the building had been broken into three times on the run up until the middle of this week.

“I am glad to see the security has now been put on 24/7 rather than just 12 hours at night.

“But the sooner this building is re-occupied the better.”

A spokeswoman for KPMG said: “We are still responsible for the lease on the Wynnstay and are still in negotiations with the landlord. We are aware of the break-ins so we have imposed 24-hour security and are boarding up what we can.

“Unfortunately, we can’t board everything up because it’s a listed building.”

Cllr Rodney Skelland, Wrexham Council’s lead member for regeneration and corporate governance, said: “The building is Grade II listed and the boarding will help protect this town centre valuable building until it is sold.”

A spokeswoman for North Wales Police said that since the hotel closed there had been two minor incidents, one of which was an attempted burglary and the other a case of criminal damage.

l Clayton Hardy, of Crescent Close, Wrexham, admitted entering the Wynnstay and stealing beer from behind the bar when he appeared before Wrexham magistrates on Wednesday.

Hardy, 20, is due to be sentenced at the magistrates court on August 17.